Today we’d like to introduce you to Tariq and Zayba Mallick.
Hi Tariq and Zayba, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As I reflect on where our story began, I could never have imagined where it would lead to. It’s only as we look back does it all make sense. The experiences, training, and roles were all a preparation for life at Family Care and Wellness. I completed training with a degree in family medicine from the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Medicine. After completing training, I served as an emergency medicine physician and eventually as medical director.
In addition, my wife and I started and operated a free medical clinic. Zayba, my wife, was practicing medicine as a Physician Assistant. She was also the clinical lead at her medical clinic overseeing day-to-day operations while caring for patients and teaching PA students. As my own experience grew, I also took on a role as associate professor of clinical rotations for Des Moines Medical University students. Our path in life eventually would lead my family and me to Texas, Zayba’s birth state.
In Texas, for several years, I served as both an emergency physician and medical director at various emergency departments. In 2020, Zayba and I decided to launch a family medicine and wellness clinic. It had dawned on me that so many of the emergencies I cared for in the emergency department could have been prevented.
Conditions like heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and blood pressure exacerbations. My passion to care for the sick took a new purpose. One that would focus on prevention and collaboratively managing the health conditions of my patients. Wellness and lifestyle education would be fundamental to both prevention and disease management.
An approach that would focus on what we valued most – compassion, engaging and motivating patients in their health while creating a patient care environment that would bring our patient’s ease. Zayba also completed her education as a health coach. With her background, attention to detail, and leadership skills she was well-qualified to manage operations. She was organized and had the management approach of a servant leader.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I once heard that the definition of passion is working hard at something you love. Our passion is health and wellness, caring for patients collaboratively to help them live their best. And so, struggles and challenges become opportunities to do better and become better. Just about everything required to launch a clinic was a struggle, especially since we did this on our own.
Zayba handled much of the “business of setting up a clinic”. She asked many questions of different agencies such as licensing, medical societies, billers, and other vendors. Being detail-oriented, organized and patient was key. Choosing an Electronic Health Record platform is a major component of a medical clinic. Studying the features of the different systems, their strengths, and their weaknesses was important. We wanted a system that had capabilities and efficiencies that would help facilitate patient care.
The global pandemic was a challenge to all medical facilities. I continued to work weekends during the pandemic. While this at times was tiring, my emergency medicine experience allowed me to feel comfortable caring for covid patients. I was up-to-date on covid precautions, treatment, and best practices. Affordable healthcare is a struggle for many patients.
Many patients cannot afford insurance premiums. Direct primary care is not healthcare insurance but rather a healthcare delivery model that provides healthcare as a membership to a primary care clinic. We at Family Care and Wellness, have launched Wellness Direct Primary Care. A membership subscription program that provides high-quality care for patients without health insurance or employers who cannot afford traditional health insurance for their employees.
The challenge is that many people have not heard of direct primary care. We are passionate about the value of this program as an approach to affordable care. However, overcoming the awareness void will take persistence, and using opportunities and venues to educate people. We are firm believers in the value of direct primary care. The mission to bring this program to patients while challenging is a passion!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Family Care and Wellness, we manage many medical conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes, elevated blood pressure, depression, anxiety, thyroid conditions, migraines, upper respiratory conditions, allergies, asthma, and many more. We are passionate about not just treating illnesses, but preventing them through wellness physicals.
Our approach includes wellness and lifestyle education that is integrated into managing and preventing health conditions. We have an extremely successful weight loss program that includes coaching. We also offer hormone replacement and IV vitamin therapy for interested patients. Our approach is unique as we integrate the importance of lifestyle into our care of medical conditions. As a team, Zayba and I treat both men and women, young and old to live their best and feel their best.
We are proud of our entire team who also share our values. These values have earned us the “Best in Family Medicine 2022,” by votes in Allen and McKinney, by Living Magazine. New patients have joined the practice often based on recommendations from existing patients. It is a real privilege to care for patients and we are humbled at the trust bestowed upon us. Every day we hope to impact our patients to live healthily and inspire them toward their best potential.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
An important aspect of growth is learning through self-education. In addition to medical journals, recent books such as “Startup DPC” by Paul Thomas were helpful towards our DPC program. It was enlightening in several aspects but most importantly it illustrates the experiences and pioneering work of the author in DPC.
As a family medicine and wellness clinic, we focus on lifestyle impacts on health. Brain Food by Lisa Masconi, Ph.D. was a great read, highlighting the powerful relationship between food and brain health. There are certainly others but these have been some recent enjoyable readings.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.familycareandwellness.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/familycareandwellness
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/familycareandwellness
Image Credits
Calee Michele
